Instructor:  Professor Alexander B. Murphy, 173 Condon Hall, abmurphy@uoregon.edu

Office hours:  Tuesdays, 1:30 - 3:00 or by appointment

Teaching Assistant:  Vincent Artman, 202 Condon Hall, vartman@uoregon.edu

Office hours: Mondays, 2:00 - 3:30 or by appointment

This course examines political patterns and processes from a geographical perspective.  We look at the political organization of territory in different parts of the world and examine the spatial relationships between political patterns and a variety of related phenomena, including resources, militarization, ethnicity, economic development, and policy making.  We will also examine ways in which long-standing political-territorial arrangements are being challenged or undermined.

For undergraduates the requirements of the course are a map exercise (15% of the grade), a two-page book review of a novel by George Orwell (15% of the grade), two midterm exams (each worth 20% of the grade), and a five-page paper on a territorial conflict between nations or states (30% of the grade).  For graduate students the requirements are participation in a few extra discussion sections (20% of the grade), a late-in-the-term take-home exam (30% of the grade) and a term paper (50% of the grade).  Regular class attendance is expected.  The readings listed below should be completed before the lectures to which they are assigned.  Please note that assignments must be turned in on time.  Since you have ample warning of due dates, no extensions will be granted unless the circumstances are exceptional.

Most of the readings for the course are in article form and are available under the Course Documents tab in the Blackboard site for the class.  In addition we will all read J. Agnew, Making Political Geography (London: Arnold, 2002) [hereinafter Agnew], and undergraduates will read G. Orwell, Burmese Days (New York:  Harcourt, Brace, 1974). 

Everyone should respect the class as a place for learning.  Showing respect for your peers is absolutely essential to a good group learning process.  This includes tolerance of differing opinions, listening as well as talking, and refraining from personal attacks.  Violations of academic integrity, such as plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated (see http://libweb.uoregon.edu/guides/plagiarism/students/).  Suspected violations will be reported to the Director of Student Judicial Affairs.  If that office finds the student to be guilty of a violation, it may result in a failing grade for the course.  Electronic devices such as cell phones and pagers must be turned off during class.  Laptops should only be used for note taking and text messaging is prohibited.  Violation of this policy will result in the loss of a letter grade. 

In addition to the required readings, I encourage you to keep informed of current affairs so as to further ground the knowledge you gain through this class. 

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES AND REQUIRED READINGS:

September 27

            Introduction to the subject matter of the course

            Geographical perspectives on politics and political arrangements

            Pre-modern forms of political/territorial organization

            Reading:  Agnew, Chapter 1

Map exercise handed out on September 27

September 29 and October 4

            Foundations of the modern state system

            The rise of the modern state and associated territorial ideas

                  (the concepts of sovereignty and the nation-state)

            Reading: Chapter 2 in Jones et al. (on Blackboard)

                           Chapter by Murphy, 1996 (on Blackboard)

October 6 & 11

            The diffusion of the nation-state idea

            Imperialism and colonialism

            Reading:  Orwell, Burmese Days (entire book)

*Map exercises due October 11

October 13, 18 & 20

            Geographical approaches to the study of the state

            The importance of territory, resources, and internal spatial structure

            Reading:  Agnew, chapter 2

                                        Chapter 3 in J. Gottmann, The Significance of Territory, 1973 (on Blackboard)

*Orwell Review due Oct. 20

October 25 & 27

            Political territory, ethnicity, and nationalism

            Case Study: Belgium

            Reading: Article by Mikesell, 1983 (on Blackboard)

                           Article by Mikesell and Murphy, 1991 (on Blackboard)

Nov. 1 - FIRST MIDTERM EXAM

November 3 & 8

            Globalization and its impact on the state as a territorial entity

            The concepts of deterritorialization and reterritorialization

            Suprastate patterns of political organization and influence

            The role of international organizations

            Reading:  Chapter by Marie Price, 1999 (on Blackboard)

                            Draft article by Murphy (on Blackboard)

Short paper assignment handed out on Nov. 3

November 10, 15 & 17

            Introduction to geopolitics

The nature and significance of international boundaries

            International boundary conflicts

            Ideological bases for the territorial extent of states

            Reading: Agnew, chapters 3-4

                           Chapter by Murphy, 2004 (on Blackboard)

*Graduate student take-home midterm handed out on Nov. 17

November 22

            The political geography of localities

            Reading: Agnew, pp. 137-157 of Chapter 5

* Graduate student take-home midterm due in class on Nov. 22

November 24

            The political geography of the environment

            Readings: Agnew, pp. 157-164 of Chapter 5

                              Article by Dalby (on Blackboard)

*Short paper due November 24, 10:00 am

November 29     

            The contemporary world in political geographic perspective

            Reading: Article and two op-ed pieces by Murphy, 2002-2006 (on Blackboard)

December 1 -  SECOND MIDTERM EXAM (not cumulative)

*Graduate student paper due December 8